Home brewing in Connecticut Discussions - CT Beer Trail

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The good folks from Stampede Light were kind enough to send me a six-pack of their beer for my reviewing purposes. Sadly they did not send me Jessica...

That being said, I couldn't think of a better beer (light in calories and created with physical fitness in mind) for me to review tonight after finally getting myself back into the gym. And hey, if Jessica Simpson drinks it, how bad could it be?

The Light Lager is generally a lighter version of a breweries premium lager, some are lower in alcohol but all are lower in calories and carbohydrates compared to other beers. Typically a high amount of cereal adjuncts like rice or corn are used to help lighten the beer as much as possible. Very low in malt flavor with a light and dry body. The hop character is low and should only balance with no signs of flavor or aroma. European versions are about half the alcohol (2.5-3.5% abv) as their regular beer yet show more flavor (some use 100% malt) then the American counterparts. For the most part this style has the least amount of flavor than any other style of beer.

To judge this beer fairly, I would run your opinion against the style. This beer certainly fits the bill for a Light Lager. So the light flavor and aroma should not come as a surprise. That being said, it's hard for most of us to separate our disdain for a particular style from our views on a specific beer.

2. Smell - Slight aroma, grain perhaps? (A note on smell - I have a very limited sense of smell, that comes and goes, so my opinions on beer smells should be taken with a grain of salt...)

3. Taste - Crisp and refreshing, but not a lot of flavor here; something to drink with some very spicy wings to cleanse your pallet perhaps, but not something to select for it's complexity or flavor. On second thought, it reminds me a little of Sapporro; not a great beer, but something I always get with my sushi. So this maybe a domestic alternative to drink with your next spicy tuna roll. The beer doesn't taste bad, but it doesn't really grab my taste buds either. Slight sweetness, no hops, nothing much to note here.

4. Mouthfeel - Very thin, watery, with a only a hint of a bite from the carbonation in the end.

5. Drinkability - Not a great beer, but not offensive either. When stacked up against other Light Lagers it's not bad. I'd pick this over Bud Lite any day, but is that the endorsement you'd be looking for if you brewed this beer? It lacks character, but it is refreshing and true to style. I think this might be a good beer to inhale after an afternoon of lawn mowing on a hot Summer day. In my case a good beer to review after a visit to the gym. But that's probably it... Reminds me of the "good old days" of happy hour wings and cheap pitchers of Busch...

Drinkability Scale from 1-10: 5 (Sure you could drink it, but there's nothing that calls out to me. Then again, I could probably stand to cut my carbs... If this beer is a 5 Bud Lite is a 3... Just saying...)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment. I'd love to hear how you found my blog, if you're a first time poster, please let me know how you found my little corner of the web. I try to respond to all comments, so please check back for a response.

Following the CT Beer Trail

Twitter Road Trip

Welcome to HomeBrewBeer.Net

For years I thought about making my own home brewed beer, but thought it would be too difficult. Now I'm finally giving it a go! I will be documenting my experiences here in the hopes of enabling others to learn from my mistakes and hopefully have some fun in the process.

In addition to discussing my attempts at home brewing, I'll also occasionally write about other related topics. Anything from home brew kits, beer reviews & brewery tours, to religion, healthy diets and responsible drinking will be fair game. In the mean time, I invite you to join me as I embark on a brave new journey into home brewing! Cheers!

Soap Box: Beer should be enjoyed responsibly! Drink quality beer and drink it in moderation! Nobody likes a drunkard!

Enjoying quality beer is about taking the time to savor its taste, color, smell, texture and over all quality. Over indulging impairs your ability to do so, and should be avoided.

Learn How to Brew Beer Today!

Homebrewing for Dummies is a clear, concise, how-to guide for the do-it-yourselfer. As it turns out, making beer isn't hard to do if you have a stove, some basic equipment, a little time on your hands, and a wife that wont divorce you if the kitchen smells like a brewery.

Feel like diving into home brewing head first? You should, but don't go it alone. This book will get you on the right path towards making your own Hefeweizen or India Pale Ale with ease. You'll get the recipes and solid step-by-step instructions. This book covers just about everything, but you're on your own when it comes to your wife.

The Basics of Home Brewing

Considering making your own beer? Wondering what it involves? Here's the skinny... The entire process will take about four weeks or so. Once completed, you'll be able to enjoy and proudly share your beer with friends and family. Now, what could be more rewording than that? Here's a high level view of the entire process:

Brewing

Get the equipment and buy ingredients. Your best bet is to grab a starter kit online or from your local beer making supply shop. (30 minutes or so, not including shipping times)

Clean and sanitize the equipment (15 minutes or so, but do a good job, this is very important!)

Brew the beer and start the fermentation (60-90 minutes the first time, my first batch was closer to 90 minutes, that wort takes a long time to boil!)

Fementation

Waiting, waiting and more waiting. Look at the pretty bubbles! (typically about a week)

Bottle Your Beer

Takes about an hour once fermentation is complete. (don't bottle too early, they could expload!)

Bottle Conditioning

Waiting, waiting and more waiting. Look at the pretty bottles! (usually two to four weeks)